The plane, emblazoned with the “Iran Air” logo, was parked Wednesday at Joint Base Andrews — the same air field where Air Force One is stored. In fact, President Obama taxied past the Iranian jet on his way to two campaign events in Ohio.

It is common for foreign heads of state to park their aircraft at Joint Base Andrews when visiting the U.S., according to Major Michelle Lai, a spokeswoman for the 89th Airlift Wing.

Lai said there are several such planes parked at Andrews now because of the ongoing U.N. meeting.

“Normally their aircraft will drop off the heads of state at the given location and they’ll position here and wait until the summit ends,” she said. “It’s for security in general. It’s easier to provide security on an Air Force installation for any foreign aircraft than it is at a commercial airport.”

It’s also free, Lai said. Unlike commercial airports, the federal government does not charge foreign governments to park their planes.

Lai did not know whether special security considerations were being taken to guard the Iranian plane.

In his own speech to the U.N. on Monday, Obama said time is running out for a diplomatic solution with Iran. He echoed his previous position that the U.S. is committed to stopping Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon.

Free Parking for Dictators Plane

at andrews air force base

Free parking is hard to find in Washington — but not, apparently, for the Boeing 747 that ferried Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to this week’s United Nations General Assembly gathering in New York.